Quote Journal for Theme Analysis Essay

Short Story: _The Scarlet Ibis___

Thematic Idea: Selfisness

Within James Hursts

(Authors Name)

Depressing Realistic Fictional Short Story discussing The Scarlet Ibis

(Tonal Adj describing Genre)
(Genre)
(Title)

The narrators embarrassment within his brother causes his pride to prevail over him, he shifts from being ashamed and embarrassed of his dysfunctional brother pushing
him to do better

(Subject of what the storys plot is generally about)

(pick one and cross out other)

(Shift 1 - what TS #1 deals with)

to loosing his brother because his pride gets the best of him in order to prove how the theme of pride/selfishness displays
(Shift 2 what TS #2 deals with)
(Theme)
that too much pride causes you to become selfish and hurt others revealing that the flood of childish spite evanesced [as did pride]... (8).
(Purp/Why the application to humanity what your chosen theme does)
(Sexy Quote/Why)
ASS 1 SENTENCE FORMULA:

Ass. idea + idea + verb + focus of essay

ASS 2 SENTENCE FORMULA (w/adv. clause trans. @ beginning): Ass. idea + idea + verb + focus of essay

ASS 1 SENTENCE FOR PARAGRAPH 1: The narrator Doodles older brother is ashamed and embarrassed
of having a dysfunctional brother, pushing him to better his brother.

ASS 2 SENTENCE FOR PARAGRAPH 2: Because of his pride the narrator tries to make his brother normal
even though it will soon cost his life.

P1 EV FORMULA:

P2 EV 1 FORMULA:

P1 EV 1 SENTENCE:

P2 EV2 SENTENCE:

P1 EV 2 FORMULA (w/adv. clause trans. @ beginning):

P2 EV 2 FORMULA (w/adv. clause trans. @ beginning):

P1 EV 2 SENTENCE:

P2 EV 2 SENTENCE:

Thematic Idea: _Pride/selfishness_

ASS Topic: __Embrassment_

Assertion Sentence
Formula:
(Assertion Idea + Focus
of essay your themed
statement rephrased)

Assertion Formula Plug-in:

ASS 1 Sentence:

The narrator Doodles older brother is ashamed and embarrassed of having a dysfunctional brother,
pushing him to better his brother.
EV1 & Comm

Whats going on in this scene

before and after the quote

Brother knew he was

stuck with Doodle,
because no matter how
much he scared him by
turning him over and
hurting him his brother
was there to stay.

Textual Evidence

4
Citation

(your quotation)

When Doodle was five years

old I was embarrassed at having
a brother of that age who
couldn't walk so I set out to
teach him.

(2)

Literary
Element

Commentary (explains how the T.E. is the L.E. and how it proves
the assertion and themed statement MULT. SENTENCES)

Indirect
Characteri
-zation

This is an example of Indirect characterization

because it connects with the thematic assertion of
Brother being embarrassed of Doodle by stating how
the narrator feels about his brother. He said he was
embarrassed and that is the main reason the
narrator wanted to change him.

For your evidence sentence, combine boxes 1, 2, and 3 into one sentence. . For your commentary sentences, combine boxes 4-5 (this should be multiple sentences).

The narrator decided that when his brother Doodle was five years old he was Embarrassed at having a brother of that age(2) who
was unable to walk, so he would teach him at the Old Woman Swamp. This is an example of Indirect characterization because the
narrator puts himself out there of being embarrassed and thats what caused him to want to change his brother. He was unhappy with
his brother, mad at himself at having a brother who couldnt do what he could do. He tried and pushed Doodle so that he could one
day have that Ideal brother but all of that hard work would soon get washed down the drain.

EV 2 & Comm
1

3
Textual Evidence

Whats going on in this scene before

and after the quote

School was drawing near

and Brother and Doodle
were behind schedule so
the narrator kept pushing
his brother to get better
because time was
running out. They
continued to lose time
because Doodle had
started to get a little sick
but once he was better
they got back on track.

4
Citation

Literary
Element

(5)

Personif
ication

(your quotation)

I should have already admitted

my defeat but my pride wouldnt
let me.

Commentary (explains how the T.E. is the L.E. and how it proves
the assertion and themed statement MULT. SENTENCES)

This is an example of personification because the

narrator compares his pride to something alive by
stressing the fact that his pride is the reason he is
hurting others and stopping at nothing to reach his
desirable yet deadly goal.

For your evidence sentence, combine boxes 1, 2, and 3 into one sentence. . For your commentary sentences, combine boxes 4-5 (this should be multiple sentences).

As school was drawing near Brother felt as if he should have already admitted defeat but [his]... pride wouldnt let [him]...(5)
This is an example of personification shows that his pride is such a problem because Brother knows it is too late to meet their deadline
goals he set for Doodle. He uses personification to make it seem as if his pride is causing him to do certain things such as pushing
himself to make Doodle reach his goal. This personification mounds his pride and shame together to show how the narrator cant deal
with the pain of failing, so he continues to try even though he knows there isnt much of a point.

Assertion 2 Sentence
Formula:
(Adv. Trans. phrase +
Assertion Idea + Focus of
essay your themed
statement rephrased)

Assertion Formula Plug-in:

ASS 2 Sentence:

Because of his pride the narrator tries to make his brother normal even though it will soon cost his

life.

EV1 & Comm

1

3
Textual Evidence

Whats going on in this scene before

and after the quote

(your quotation)

4
Citation

5
Literary
Element

Commentary (explains how the T.E. is the L.E. and how it proves
the assertion and themed statement MULT. SENTENCES)

Brother is teaching
I did not know then, that pride is
Doodle to walk so that he
a terrible thing, a seed that
will become normal and bears two vines life and death
will be able to do what
I put him on his feet at least a
other people can do. So
hundred times.
he teaches him at the Old
Woman Swamp.

Metaph
or

(3)

This metaphoric quote ties into the assertion in which

because of Brothers pride he tries to change Doodle
to become the ideal brother for him. His selfish ways
will soon cost his brothers life though because he
keeps pushing and pushing Doodle without remorse.
The narrator wants to succeed in not just helping
Doodle but in by satisfying his own selfish desries.

For your evidence sentence, combine boxes 1, 2, and 3 into one sentence. . For your commentary sentences, combine boxes 4-5 (this should be multiple sentences).

While at the Old Woman Swamp the narrator utilizes a metaphor to compare his pride to a seed when he recognized that pride
[was]... a wonderful terrible thing, that bared two vines, life and death. which motivated him to keep pushing Doodle by putting him on
his feet numerous times. This is a metaphor because it is comparing his pride to a seed with two vines that either lead off to life or
death. The narrators pride would either be good or harmful and deadly. His pride affected others but affected Doodle the most.
Because of his pride he would later let it gt the best of him causing his brother to lose his life. The importance between the comparison
is that his pride was harmful. It started out as a seed that started to bloom bad desires. This is meaningful because it shows that pride
can either push us to achieve certain goals or it can make us lose sight of the more important things.
EV2 & Comm
1

3
Textual Evidence

Whats going on in this scene before

and after the quote

(your quotation)

4
Citation

5
Literary
Element

Commentary (explains how the T.E. is the L.E. and how it proves
the assertion and themed statement MULT. SENTENCES)

For along time it seemed

forever I lay there crying,
Brother has left Doodle in the
storm because he is angry but sheltering my fallen ibis from the
when he finally comes back
hersey of the rain.
for him he finds his younger
brother dead.

(8)

Verbal
Irony

This quote really connects with the theme because

the narrator lets his pride and anger get the best of
him causing him to push his brother Doodle away
physically and mentally leaving him stranded in the
storm.

As Brother ran home in the rain devastated and furious that his brother and him wouldnt reach their goal he left him in the storm and
when he finally came back to him he found him dead where he laid there sheltering [his] fallen ibis from the heresy of the rain.(8)
The narrator allowed his anger and frustration corrupt his thinking causing him to leave his brother in that deadly storm. In this
situation Brother is mourning over his dead brother with deep feelings of regret. This is so important because the verbal irony within
this proves how to much pride within ones self can drive you to hurt others leaving you wishing that you hadnt. In this story, the
narrator gets so blinded by his pride that he allows it to control him so he can reach his goals no matter who he hurts or the cost he
may have to pay because of his actions. Therefore we as humans want to control ourselves by humbling ourselves and if our pride
does begin to show, we only let it do good.